where's best to live in nz,and what do we need to know?

[AngryBeaver]

My dh has been on at me for a year to move from the uk.He wanted Quebec,which looked gorgeous and romantic,but i wasn't sold on the winters and coudn't leave my mum.
He recentley said he wanted to move to NZ and i thought ,yeah if it's warm and a better life than here,let's do it.
So we've got fuck all money and 3 kids under 4.5 ...but we want to do it.
I don't know what's changed in me for me to agree ,but I hear th schools and hospitals are fab,and just want the best life for my lovely children.
I'm worrying though because I've read the houses are crap and cold.
We want sun,space and not too expensive (don't we all!)
We thought Tauranga,but that seems quite busy and we've read about boy racers.
We don't want Wellington as we've heard it's windy and weather not great.
Does anyone know about Nelson?Heard it's nice weather,but what's the reality?
We are going to put the house on the market this week,I am shitting myself,but I feel it's now or never.
Any help or advice,gratefully recieved

Subtropical climates get rain too.

And I think Auckland's climate is classed as temperate, not subtropical.

Hello ladies - just checking in after a week of holiday in darkest Norfolk - zero reception and felt limbless without my mumsnet fix - how sad is that. Drove back to Scotland and it literally rained the whole way up the country - agh the British summertime! Still no work for dh from Nz. He is losing it as still in limbo highlighted by the fact our car proved way too small on holiday for the three we currently have (god knows where no.4 is going in 14 weeks time) and back to the rented flat which doesn't feel like home. If only we knew if he had a job there by Xmas it would be bearable. Moan over....sorry.it was a great holiday really.

I know, WhatSheSaid...we were in the Maldives for our honeymoon and,by God did it rain!!Never seen suge huuuge raindrops,they actually hurt when they landed on you.But at least it was still warm.
Lollystix,I completely empathise with you,we are in a similar position workwise.It's incredibly frustrating. Am also feeling your concern re the car! I felt ill the other day and said to dh, it feels like morning sickness! He said "Oh, ny God..That would be the worst thing in the world at the moment"
and I meekly said "er,oh why?" He told me that we couldn't go to NZ because there's no way we could cope with 4 kids over there until we were there long enough to qualify for (NZ'S equivalant of) child benefit/tax credits.
That gutted me a bit...it means I'll have to wait until we get to NZ ..who knows how long that will take.
And THEN,wait a few more years!

Angry-don't despair. Dh was about to accept job in Auckland the night I had to go for scan (11 weeks ago). We'd found out I was pregs 3 days before. He called whole emigration off - said unrealistic. He's come round now - we know it's not going to be easy but what helped was fact my mum said shed be moving back. Her husband is going out before his visa expires in October. Financially were Also between rock and hard place cos stay here and were looking at almost 2k a month childcare with 3 on nursery and one in after schools or go to Nz where nursery so much cheaper.

Oh, that's lovely that you're mum will be with you. I'm so jealous. Yes, nursery fees are astronomical here. My ds1 only goes to nursery 3 mornigs a week and it's £300 !! My mum is dead generous though,luckily and she pays the bill.Otherwise no way could we afford that. What are the fees like in NZ in comparison?
I think we have decided we will try Waiheke....if we ever get to NZ that is!

I pay $160 for two full days a week for DD. I think a full week is $320. But that is in an expensive area and the place has an amazing reputation. She gets a lot out of it and I feel happy leaving her there.

I used to work in a nursery for under-2s, ful time fees (5 days a week) were $300 a week and less once they turned 2 - about $250 I think. Then when they are three they get 20 hours funded by the govt so the fees go right down.

The ratios of teachers to children are much lower than the UK though, under age 2 it's 1 adult to 5 children and over age 2 1 adult to 10 children (though some centres will have more teachers than the legal ratio requirement).

Wow! That really is good.Good to know.
I'll have to tell my brother,nursery fees are crippling them...it might sway them into coming.They would get in straight away too, as sil has just recieved her PHD

I've just been reading expat Exposed... I know,I know!!!
Anyway,I've cut and pasted it but it's a bit long..sorry.
I'd be really interested to hear what you think. There is more where rasicm and child neglect are also discussed,and a kiwi did reply saying she agreed with NZ had deeply ingrained problems with both issues.
That her Dad has had to drag kids out of the road,whilst their family stood nearby laughing etc
Anywway here's is the bit on education for your perusal....

Educational well-being?8th worst. Combined score based on 1) Average school achievement in reading, mathematical and science literacy, 2) Percentage aged 15?19 remaining in education, 3) Percentage aged 15?19 not in education training or employment, 4) Percentage of 15-year-olds expecting to find low-skilled work.

New Zealand has the 6th-best educational achievement of 15-year-olds.
New Zealand has the worst percentage of 15?19 year-olds in education.
New Zealand did not provide data. Statistics NZ shows an unemployment figure of 6.7% of 15?19-year-olds as of September 2007.
New Zealand has the 9th best (highest) rate of aspiration for skilled jobs among 15-year-olds.

The gap between children on track for skilled jobs and those destined for unskilled labor is very visible, even stark. The main difference I notice is how early and openly this gap manifests itself. It bothers me to see how stark the separation is between the mid-teens of Christchurch: boys and girls in their pinstriped blazers on one hand, looking younger than their American counterparts, and the young unskilled workers, 15 years old and expected to take care of themselves (and sometimes their children). It reminds me of what I used to see in Brazil, rather than the U.S. or Canada.

SUMMARY

Bluntly put, New Zealand does not shine. The country ranked in the bottom half of the OECD in all 3 dimensions for which it provided enough data. Out of a total of 14 metrics provided, New Zealand ranked in the top third for only 2 metrics, the middle third for 5, and the bottom third in 7 areas (see Note 5 below). It scored the absolute worst of all developed countries in 2 areas that parents and economists should find worrisome: Death rate from accidents and violence under 19 and percentage of kids staying in school. Personally speaking, the 'job expectations at 15' metric breaks my heart. Despite the high rates of violent death, school drop-out and poverty around them, Kiwi kids still believe in a good future for themselves. Does the youth suicide rate represent a collision between that faith and reality? One can only surmise, but encouraging big dreams without providing the means to achieve it can take a heavy toll.

---

1. For the sake of comparison, 34% of British, 26% of Canadian and 40% of American children are overweight or obese.

1. NZ also has the highest rate of adult cannabis use (22.23%) in the OECD.

I don't think anyone here has kids in that age range so we've probably not got much knowledge of it tbh.

That quote says "Statistics NZ shows an unemployment figure of 6.7% of 15?19-year-olds as of September 2007."

I just googled "Youth unemployment rate UK" and the first thing that came up was a BBC News report from Feb this year saying that the youth unempoyment rate in the UK (ages 16-24) is 20.5%

most of NZ's 'problems' stem from the broad Maori and Pacific Island populations.

My (doctor) frind in Auckland says the Islanders are *huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge' and have highly worrying teenage pregnancy rates.

The stats for the European ethnic groups are far better, apparently.

It was more the education bit I was concerned about.
Also the violent death,and high rates of suicide bit!
(i reckon it's probably all comparable though,if I were to dig a bit)
I had heard about the high rate of teenage pregnancies and obesity from another poster...maybe, Sibble?
I think this is a cultural thing as you were suggesting,so I'm not worried about that. (although I'm sure every mum occasionally thinks about the teenage preg scenario,but hopes that they have given enough guidance/advice/support along the way,to prevent this...I know I will!)

I'm not sure if I'd say NZ's problem come from the Maori and Pacific Island groups- rather that these groups have worse stats and poorer life outcomes. The question of why and how to improve this is quite complex. But compared to the Aboriginals in Oz, NZ is a different world.

Teen deaths here are high. A lot of them are just stupid driving accidents. A lot of people here don't seem to wear seatbelts for instance.

YES! My job was finally advertised

Still no word of DH's though

Don't get it highlander?! Do you mean your job in UK?
Sorry if I'm being thick.I'm tired, a bit tiddly and pissed OFF. Apparantly we owe $1500.Because we went over the thresholdby £500,we lose £1900.Just bullshit.
I want to move to NZ.RIGHT.NOW.goddamit

Eh angry I'm lost.... Sounds financial services like. Complain to the financial services ombedsman. Companies have to pay out £500 to even start on a complaint. Often can't be arsed so just write it off. Take it to executive complaints- don't fanny on with call centres as you'll just end up on a monthly complaints log. Trust me - I work in FS. Seen it all before.

Thanks for your advice, but it's the Child Tax Credits, lolly. I'm guessing they won't change the rules for us!

Oh dear. Not much hope there. My mums dh got job in masterton. He leaves Sept. Social worker so easy to transfer

NZ, Angry. Was offered job ages ago, but they finally got round to the formal advert.

Ahh,I see. But why did they bother advertising it if you were already appointed?!
Anyway.DD finished reception yesterday and I had really hoped that she wouldn't be going back in Sept. I thought we might be in nz by Oct,so was going to keep her off for a few weeks then get her straight in to a school in Torbay/Waiheke so she wouldn't have to have too many new 'starts'. But hey ho,not gonna happen

It's the law (same as here). They created a job for me, but still have to advertise.

I see

NZ'ers? Two quick questions/musings...is milk dead expensive there? And there was another thread on here where someone commented about a primary school disco,where 7 year olds were dressed in black with high heeled sandals,simulating sex to Rhianna songs!
She said it made her sick and she was so sorry for the loss of innoncence etc.I completely agree withat,obviously.
I was just wondering whether that kind of 'Pop Porn',culture had hit there yet?
DH was saying TV is very different over there, so maybe not

Sorry,that wasn't very well written,but I have curry and chapatti waiting.....!!